Assessing Psychological Factors

As organizations become more dependent on statistical analysis as a means of evaluating player and team p
erformance, a host of other variables will eventually have to be quantified as well. A common practice for all organization within varying industries require some type of employee background investigation to assess a potential employees  mental make up. e.g.
, moral and ethical values and education. This practice is not uncommon within sports organizations, however the value placed on even deeper pyschological factors, such as an individuals disposition, level of intelligence, and emotional stability are not as easily identified or measured. The qualities that forge the make-up of leaders and standout-performers cannot always be identified through statistical data, as many may possess the same measurables but few will actually possess what is often referred to as the "IT" factor.

There are plenty of athletes that have like physical make-ups but generally those who anticipate game play and perform with extreme confidence are the ones who consistently make plays on day to day basis.This is where I feel the over dependence on data analysis in athletic evaluation can lead to managers placing too much value into numbers and devaluing intangibles. Sports data analytics is a growing and evolving field. Those who lead in this field have acknowledged this shortcoming so it is not out of the realm of possibility that these qualities will at one point be measurable as well. One of the recent innovative tools used for accumulating performance data used in the NBA is "Player Tracking". Utilizing strategically placed cameras, player movement on the court and the basketball is tracked 25 times per second giving analytic professionals stats based on speed, distance, player separation, and ball possession. While this type of technology can provide evaluators with an idea of the level of effort and desire a player or team puts out during the course of a game it still is limited in regards to identifying how, when, and why certain athletes can perform under duress while others cannot. The difference between drafting a player number one overall and acquiring a bust or a superstar comes down to one day being able to measure and analyze these traits in the hope of acquiring talent who possess the rare "IT" factor.